Issue #17 - Monday 22nd August - FREE

DELETE THE BANJAX GRILL » Scott Capuro defends our right to free speech

» Late Night Gimp Fight in graffCOLIN HOULT

David Reed, long-term Karaoke Circus contributor and star of such Pleasance shows as ‘David Reed’, extracts an elusive description of Karaoke Circus out of founders Danielle and Martin Ward.

David: Let’s start at the top. For those who haven’t seen the show in London, what is Karaoke Circus?Danielle: Oh dear. Martin: It’s difficult to describe without making it sound terrible. Danielle: It’s live band karaoke performed by drunk comedians and even drunker audience members.Martin: See what I mean?Danielle: I like to think of it as a religious experience more than a comedy show.David: It certainly has its devout followers. Why do you think that is?Danielle: We have about 250 hardcore devotees by now, I think because it’s a genuinely lovely and inclusive night, and also because it’s pretty rock and roll.Martin: Romances have blossomed among audience members who became

friends during the lengthy queuing process.David: Martin, how do you handle responsibilities as MC for the night?Martin: MC is a strong term. I usher the

acts on and off, fitting about one joke between each really. I have a joke for the first show; “Karaoke Circus, the show where YOU are the audience!”Danielle: …he isn’t really a writer. I reckon Martin’s perfunctory MC’ing makes audience members who come on stage feel a bit better. David: Who else does what on stage?Martin: Danielle and I play bass and keyboard respectively, you - David - play drums. Foz Foster from David Devant plays the geetar. Foz also brought in his friend Baron Gilvan to the first show for a few numbers in their clown make-up. He’s stayed ever since.

David: And what have been the stand-out performances for you?Danielle: Drunk Tim Minchin doing The Wannadies was amazing. Greg McHugh and Humphrey Ker singing Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me. Martin: My favourite ever is Left To My Own Devices sung by Chris Addison, with a 24 piece orchestra. An absolute thrill. Danielle: What about that woman from the audience who sang Your Song totally out of key? The audience didn’t boo, they were singing along, then at the end there was a moment of silence before the cheering.Martin: I kind of like the disasters. Danielle: It’s impossible to do badly at Karaoke Circus. Which is why we’re looking forward to three barnstorming nights in Edinburgh with Isy Suttie, Josie Long, Robin Ince, Tim Vine, Phil Jupitus, Michael Legge, Thom Tuck [pictured above twice], Dan Atkinson… I’m getting excited now.

Karaoke Circus, Pleasance Dome, 22-24 Aug 25:00 (1:00am)

Comedians + Live Band + sinGinG =

“It’s a religious experience more than a comedy show”

KaRaoKe CiRCUs

Photography: Idil Sukan

Delete the Banjax (Samuel, Dan, Caroline and Gareth) grill comedian Colin Hoult about some of the hardest-hitting issues of our times and his career. Gareth: Dear Colin Hoult, what’s your favourite beat-em-up?Colin: Golden Axe. Although that’s technically a hack-and-slash. Megadrive. Samuel: Dear Colin Hoult. You are awesome. Discuss.Colin: Awesome, yes. Modest, no. Thank you that’s kind. So are you.Dan: Dear Colin Hoult, what is your warm-up routine?Colin: Stress. Mainly stress. I’ve started kick-boxing so I try to do some of those moves but I can’t remember any of them. And smoking.Caroline: Dear Colin Hoult. What was the first acting role you ever did?Colin: As a piece of performance, myself and my friend Chantelle wrote a song. I wrote it for her and we sang it together for my Mum. It went “my songs, my love, I am the happy girl”. Entirely true. It’s never gone from my mind. We had a long discussion about whether it was ok

for me to say I’m a happy GIRL, and decided yes it was because sometimes in songs, sometimes they change boy to girl but sometimes they keep it the same. When someone interprets a song they might re-write the lyrics. We genuinely had this discussion at age six.Dan: Dear Colin Hoult, we like spaghetti carbonara, do you?Colin: I’m vegetarian. There probably is a carbonara equivalent. I do make a mean chilli with just carrots, mushroom and aubergine, however. And tomato.Gareth: Dear Colin Hoult, you were late to this interview, how do you deal with latecomers?Colin: In the past I dealt with them very well. Now I don’t notice them because the room’s too massive. I don’t like to pretend they’re not there. I always want to say something. Why are you late? Even when I’m in someone else’s show I want to say something.Caroline: Dear Colin Hoult, have you ever looked in the mirror for half an hour and seen your soul?Colin: Yes. It was like a rancid butterfly.Dan: Dear Colin Hoult, what’s your favourite martial art?Colin: Kung-fu. Trouble is, kung-fu is tied into tai-chi which is great. A lot of old ladies and men there never get past move one. Kick-boxing’s better because you actually do something. I’ve thought about joining the shaolin temple, but it’s about £800.Gareth: Dear Colin Hoult, who’s your favourite?Colin: The Bandicoot. …You were talking about creatures of the jabberwocky?Samuel: Dear Colin Hoult, you’ve done a trilogy of shows, are you planning to do a Spielberg/Lucas thing and wait 20 years before desecrating what you’ve done?Colin: I might bring it back with all my characters as children. Nobody would know what it was about. Edinburgh acts would have come and gone by then.Caroline: Dear Colin Hoult, are you subscribed to any monthly magazines?Colin: No. But just to say something on the subject… I used to buy the first issues of all of those history magazines that came out in the late-90s. ‘Build a Spanish Galleon’, that kind of thing, when the first issue was always 75p and then every other issue cost £8. Eventually, after 45 issues you’d have a worthless paper galleon. Dan: Dear Colin Hoult, baths or showers?Colin: Showers. I haven’t had a bath for 10 years. I get too hot, can’t handle it, and need to get out.Gareth: Dear Colin Hoult, where do you live?(Samuel: Did we really ask him that?)Colin: London.Gareth: Specifically? We’re hoping for a full address.Colin: No.

Colin Hoult’s Inferno, Pleasance Courtyard, 3-29 Aug 19:05 / Delete The Banjax, Pleasance Courtyard, 3-29 Aug 18:20

DELETE THE BANJAX MEET

COLIN HOULT

Photography: Idil Sukan

@ThePleasance#pleztimes

RT @idilsukanMore photos! #pictureshow The really very brilliant Adam Riches in his venue at @ThePleasance: http://t.co/7VMPqjZ

RT @SamWilkin1Nicholas Parsons entering @ThePleasance wearing Reebok Classics... Surely a brogues man?!

RT @ThePleasanceWhoever is doing the rain dance, please stop, thanks.

RT @gimpfightWe don’t condone toilet graffiti... Except this sort. (below) (good spot @Lizzlie!)

PREsENTED By ONE Of OUR COmEDy ACTs AND fEATURING THEIR sPECIAL GUEsTs, INCLUDING:Joe Lycett, Matthew Crosby from Pappy’s, Jeff Leach, Katherine Ryan, Tom Price, Dan Clark, Kate Copstick and a regular daily message from Angelos Epithemiou. TODAy (mON) IMRAN YUSUF & TERRY ALDERTON

TOmORROW (TUEs) ANDI OSHO & JOEL DOMMETT

The BBC has recently passed laws barring anyone from discussing living celebrities because their feelings might be hurt. Feelings? They don’t have feelings. They have large heads and strange, disproportionately small hands, Tom Cruise. But feelings? Feelings are for women, which is why they’re lippy. Comedy is a man’s business because there is no accountancy, either financially or otherwise.

Look, comics can’t be self conscious about what we say, because we already hate authority figures. We were dropped on our heads and ignored, so we’re fighting, every show, for recognition. Comics are misanthropes, and if you throw down rules, we’ll only become more confrontational. Feelings embarrass comics. We’re autistic, mildly, and our child-like charms will diminish the moment you draw a circle around something and say, ‘No, not Boris Johnson. Leave Cheryl Cole off the list and for godsake NEVER mention (add here the name of a lucky and talentless whore).

Just the thought of restricting myself makes me want to piss on the

Bible. If I wanted friends I would’ve become a dentist. I’ve got some unnecessary points to make about whatever pond scum is circling our television screens, and trust my therapist, nobody needs an angrier me. So Mr. Beeb, back off with your boundaries and remember the strength of any culture or institution is its ability to be parodied.

Scott Capurro: Who are the jocks?, Pleasance Dome, 3-29 Aug 20:00

IN DEfENsE Of… frEE spEECHby Scott capurro

FUNDRAISING FOR THE PLEASANCEYou can support us in a number of ways:

2. Become part of “Pleasance History”We would be delighted if you joined our celebrity alumni on this extraordinary 231-ft long ‘Bayeux-esque Tapestry’, charting the history of the world according to the Pleasance. You will also receive a very beautiful portrait. All we need is a passport photo! And if you don’t have one immediately, it doesn’t matter, because you can always send it to us later!

3. Simply donate your own amountTEXT: plez33 to 70070(for any amount up to £10)

BY TELEPHONE: Please call us on 0207 619 6868

ONLINE: Please visit www.pleasance. co.uk/islington/support-us

IN PERSON: Complete the Gift Aid form on the back of the Fundraising leaflet and drop it into Reception at any of our box offices in Edinburgh and London, or pop it in the post.

1. Adopt a Pleasance cobblestoneFamous for its cobbled courtyards, the Pleasance is the bedrock of great theatre and comedy. You can look after these very foundations by adopting your own pet cobblestone! We promise to provide you with regular updates on how it’s getting along.

MONDAy 22nd

Please note that all line-ups are subject to change. Check the Box Office for the latest information.

ARTHUR smITH’s PIssED-UP CHAT sHOW

Pleasance Dome 21:40DILLIE KEANE

ANDREW MAxWELLMONKEY POET

CHORTLE PREsENTs: fAsT fRINGE

Pleasance Dome 18:40ELIS JAMES - MCJULIAN DEANE

SUSAN MURRAYLIAM MULLONE3 ENGLIGHMENWIL HODGSON

DES CLARKEMARK STEPHENSON

DREGSRICHARD SANDLING

GENTLEMEN OF LEISUREPAUL SINHADAVID ELMS

THE sHOWCAsE sHOWPleasance Courtyard 13:10

Mc SIMON MUNNERY, CARL HUTCHESON,

FIONA O’LOUGHLIN, RICHARD SANDLING, THE BOY WITH TAPE

ON HIS FACE